*** Haus der Kulturen der Welt: Forum1 Archive *** ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Date]: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 08:01:34 +0200 [From]: Xavier Cortada [To]: "forum1@hkw.kbx.de" [Subject]: Responding to Gerhard Haupt's question: "Is the Web shrinking? Dear fellow forum members, Greetings. I am a Cuban-American artist living in Miami who has used the Internet as a tool for creating collaborative art. Having been awarded a New Forms grant, I created a WebStudio that tried to emulate the process used when I have facilitated the creation of collaborative participant-driven murals here at home and in places like La Paz, Geneva, Washington, DC, and Panama City. This Webstudio project attempted to convene a non-geography based audience through the use of a live chatroom, and two webcams in my studio. Participants were given a general topic (love, God, Environment, Society) and invited to provide feedback, art (scanned images of their art interpreting), words (via a discussion forum), or ideas (via a live chatroom). Many were invited through local Miami media and 4000 others through targeted Internet lists (including this forum) and about 1200 actually visited the site. However, a significantly smaller number (several dozen) actually contributed thoughts, words or art. Naturally, I am still processing it. Perhaps we really aren't an Internet community --being anonymous or somewhat anonymous, we are more passive and voyeuristic than if we were in the real world. (This forum certainly parallels the response I had in my website: Here over 350 subscribed as members but about a dozen or two are really active on a regular basis). Lacking the kind of resources or platform to launch a world-wide marketing or public relations strategy to convene others or build some semblance of web-culture community, I narrowed my scope. I then used the Webstudio to address local issues here in Miami, particularly community-building issues in four schools (as part of an art-based non-violence project called Master-Peace). So the model became using the Internet to reinforce community instead of building it. Naturally it is a gradual process. This year, working through Master-Peace, I will use my WebStudio to work with ten Miami high schools to create ten murals focusing on lessons humanity has learned through the last ten centuries. Perhaps future participants will be less reluctant to participate in an interactive project if they see documentation on the website showing how students in 14 different schools did so successfully. The thing about the Internet is that more than anything else it is a mirror of society, not a substitute for it. And societal processes are gradual, and apprehension can be great. Think back two decades ago. Computers were absent from our lives. Go back five years and remember every one's reluctance to email. It's difficult enough building cultural audiences in traditional and conventional situations, imagine doing so using websites. It is hard enough convincing adults that they too can "draw a straight line", imagine asking them to do so over the Internet. My advise is that we try, and not give up. The Internet is a medium, our medium. Let's not be quick to judge, but instead eager to learn. And be sensitive and responsive to the world of possibilities and barriers that exist on this new journey. If any of you are interested in learning about the webstudio (including the artist's statement, log of Webstudio sessions, images, mpegs, etc), simply visit my website, http://www.cortada.com. Naturally, information about Master-Peace, my school-based art project can also be found there. Lastly, if the group is willing, I am more than happy to open my Webstudio to all of us for a scheduled session so we can all collaborate in creating a piece of art. Maybe the theme can be: "Is the web shrinking?" Thanks, Xavier Cortada ************* Xavier Cortada has exhibited his paintings in museums and galleries in four continents and has pioneered the use of the Internet in collaborative art-making. The artist, attorney, and activist has worked with youth and diverse groups across four continents to create pro-social community murals and participant-driven art projects. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE ARTIST AT: Xavier Cortada 3621 SW Third Avenue Miami, FL 33145 United States of America tel: 305-858-1323 fax: 305-857-9282 e-mail: xavier@cortada.com website: http://www.cortada.com ****************************